Animal trap



Aug. 28, 1928.

w. A. Glas ANIMAL TRM=` Filed April 5,

Aug. 28, 1928.

W. A` GIBBS ANIMAL TRAP Filed April S, 1924 2 Sheetsheet 2 Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED hs'rA'frEs PATENT oFFlcE.

WALTER A. GIBBS, OF HOLLY OAK, DELAWARE.

ANIMAL TRAP.

Application filed April 5,

Primarily it is contemplated to employsaid means in connection With mechanical traping or gripping elements, although in its roader phase, the invention .is not so limited since obviously, the gasing means may be utilized independent of other trapping ele-. ments.

Further important features of the invention reside in the'animal actuated means for releasing the gas or vapon, and in the other novel features and details of construction hereinafter set fort In the attached drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a trap made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the trap;

F ig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the trap after being sprung; and,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a trap showing a Vmodification within the scope of the invention.

For purposes of illustration, I have illustrated a simple form of jaw trap; but it will he understood that the invention in principle is applicable to any form of trap, and means for applying the nvention to other types of trap will present themselves readily to those acquainted with the art. The trap illu's trated comprises a pair of swinging and co- Operating` jaws 1, 1, whose out turned ends 2, 2 are journaled in suitable apertures 3, 3, in the upright parts 4, 4, of a base or frame element 5. The said base or frame also comprises a cross element 6 on which is pivotally mounted a treadle 7. The treadle comprises an arm 8 apertured at 9 for reception of a pivot pin 11.

The outer end of the element 6 is upturned and carries loosely therein a latch element 15 whose free end is adapted to engage in a notch 1924 Serial NO. 704,429.

16 in the arm 8 for a Purpose hereinafter de scribed.

The trap also -comprises a jaw closing spring 17 of well known form which operatcs 'on both jaws to bring them from a spread or set position, in which they are substantially horizontal` to the closed 01' sprung position shown in Fig. 4;. As illustrated, the spring 'may have attached thereto a retaining Chain 18, although obviou'sly this chain may attach to any other suitable part of the trap, and does not necessarily constitute an essential element.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the latch 15 when yoverlying one of the jaws and Vwith its free end engag'ed in the notch 16 will retain the jaws in set position, and will release the jaws only when the treadle 7 is depressed.

Extending from that end of the element 5 opposite the spring is a bracketl 19 which carries a clamp O'adapted to hold a bottle or other container. In the present instance, the clamp is adapted to retain a cylindrical vial 22, preferably of glass or similar deetruetible material, and the grippingportion of the clamp is so placed that a retained container may project between the jaws 1, 1, so that the latter in closing will the said container. Obviously, the container may be of any form desired and the holding means vwill be formed accordingly.

It will be noticed that animal act-uated 'means releases the gases, which 'in this instanee are held in the container, and further that the closing movement of the animal gripping elements is ntilized to accomplish said release. i

The release of the gas may be accomplished in other ways than by rupture of a container, and there to be no limitation as to the means by which this may be accomplished. One alternate way is illustrated in Fig. 5, in which a container 25 is secured to the chain 18, while the closure 26 for the container in the form, for example, of a Cork is also secured to the chain hut with suflicient slack to insure withdrawal from the container when the Chain is made taut, as would be the case when an animal caught in the trap would attempt to move away with the trap. The arrangement is such, however, that withdrawal of the stopper does not effect the Chain which remains intact.

Many devices and combinations of elements may bc used to accomplish the desired results.

'strike and break vform of a separate attachment connected With the tra'p only by an actuating eord or other element. 'It' willy also be'apparent that the Vinvention is not limited to any particular method forsupplying the gas, and instead of a' container, I may utilize materials capable of generating gas under conditions brought about directly or indirectly by the animal.

I claim: w

1. An animal'trap comprising' apair of U-shaped eooperating pivotedjaws, Springs tainer 'arranged betweenthevjaws adjacent the pivots and adapted to be'engaged on opposite'sides by the side arms of the U-shaped jan's when the lattcr arebrought together.

2. 'An animal trap comprising means` for gripping and holding an animal, means for restrieting the movement of the trap by the gripped animal` and a vaporous drug con'- tainer operatively associated with the means` for 'restricting' the movement of the trap so as to berufitured by the moving of the trap by the gripped animal.

V3. In an animal trap the combination with animal grippingmechanism of a gas vaporous drug supply, and means adapted to be rendered el'eotiveby the e'ripped animal to liberate the gasiforinhalation by the animal.

'for brinn'imT said 'aws tooether `and a conh b F 5 1. The combination with an animal trup including' a base and a pair of spring actuated jaws mounted on spaced pivots at onnosite ends of the base, of a vaporous drug container operat'ivelyassociated with the trap and positioned above the base over one pair of spaced pivots'and within the path of movement of the jaws, whereby the container is ruptured b'y the jaws during their closing movements. i

The combination nfivth-an animal trap including a base and a pair'of ,spring actuated jaws pivotally mounted on the base, of a vaporous drug eontainer operatively associated With the trap and `-mounted'al'iove the jaw pivots-within the vpath of' movementl of theijaws, said eontainer beingpositioned nearer to the jaw pivots than to'thc free ends of the jaws. Whereby'the container-is ruptured during the initial closing movement of the trap. A g 1 (5. The combination inanv'animal trap of 'a base, animal grpping means'includinga U-shaped spring actuated jan' pivoted on the base, an opposing element oooperating with the jaw to lgrip the'animal,` means for setting and releasing' the trap, anda vaporous drug container operatively associated with the trap so as to be ruptured by the side arm of the U-shaped jaw duringr the elosing' movement of the trap.

7. The combination with Van animal trap including al base and coacting' U-shaped aws pixi'otally mounted on the base, a spring for elosing the ja-ws and means for settin,,;` and releasing the tran, of a vaporous drug container operativelyassociated with the trap so as to be ruptured bylthe side armsof the U-shaped jaws during the closing movements of the trap. i i

' WALTER `A..GIBBS. 

